Plan 'B'

You've got to hate it when a plan falls apart.  Unless of course you have a plan 'B'.

I realized before taking off this morning that my plans to fish for Springers around St. Helens were based on a misreading of the regs.  Man, am I glad I reread the updates!.  My fallback plan was to target hold-over trout in Hagg Lake. 

I met an old timer at Boat Ramp A last weekend and though the weather was a mess, he'd manged 4 nice size hold-overs.  We chatted for some time before I finally asked the looming question: "What'dja catch em on?"

"A broke-back Rapala" was his reply "...behind a flasher".  At which point he showed me the winning lure and the identical lure, sans articulation, that ran next to it all day.  Apparently the rigid version didn't even get a sniff.  Note taken.

It was a slow day on the lake.  Only saw one other fish caught.  None of usual spots were paying off.  I worked the old standards; the cove by Ramp C, the points between C and the dam.  Nuthin.  I was marking planers here and there but they weren't biting.

About 3/4 of the way to the dam I noticed a horde of swallows working over a hatch near the center of the lake.    Hmmm, bugs.  Trout eat bugs...  Big trout eat little trout who are eating bugs..... 

Since the shallows weren't producing and the winds wanted to take me out there anyway, I made for the feast.  90ft of water according to the sonar.  I could see small flies hovering above the surface.  When one would touch down, I'd watch until it was sipped under.  Fish!

About 10 min after entering the feeding zone, my rod bounced.  Bird?  Two more good bounces and nothing.  A minute later my rod bounced and then buried.  I gave a couple of good hard strokes to set the hook and my drag started screaming.  Fish On!

I was sure I'd hooked a healthy hold-over.  He wasn't coming easily, taking back all the ground I'd win with his powerfull runs.  After several minutes, he took to the air, giving me my 1st glimpse.  $#!T!!!   Where's my net when I need it most!?!?   

10 minutes of give and take and he was exhausted. Propping his head on my boot, I managed to slip my fingers into his gills and slide him into my lap.  Success!!


After subduing my catch I tried trolling back thru the hatch but only managed one good bite before the winds kicked up, sending me back to the docks.

   


 

wow nice fish

dont you just hate it when plan B is better then plan A

Nice fish, nice yak, nice report.  Thanks Spot.

Nice fish... lucky dog.. You are going to make it hard dethrone AOTY king this year..  So is that a released hatchery brooder? 

I guess I'll have to follow through with my threat to go to Odell or Cresent this year for Lake Trout.

I'm thinking I might have to plan a trip east for some big Oregon Macks this summer.

Dude.  That beast almost looks like a steelhead.  Must have been in the lake a while to clean up that brown brooder color.  Very nice Spot!!!

-Allen

Thanks Guys!  I'm glad it might have given some of you the motivation to take Oregon kayak trout fishing to the next level!

So is that a released hatchery brooder? 

Judging by the short nose, small mouth, squared off tail and chewed up fins, I think hatchery brooder is a safe bet.  I'm not sure how it'll eat. But, the fillets were sure firm.

I guess I'll have to follow through with my threat to go to Odell or Cresent this year for Lake Trout.

end of may first of june...be there or settle for a pawltry 28.5 incher.....

Nice fish.  That is exactly what I was trying to slay when I went out to Hagg a week or so a go.  The bite this year is a bit weird to me this year.  

I was thinking the same thing.  Looks like a steelhead to me too.

Nice job Mark, 2 for 2 without bringing a net.  keep leaving that net at home.

Scott

Whoa!!!  Firm, red meat.  Yup, that beast has been in the lake awhile, long enough to "cleanse" itself.  I'm sure it will eat up great.

-Allen

yea, looks tasty to me...would be awesome in the smoker.

Whoa!!!  Firm, red meat.  Yup, that beast has been in the lake awhile, long enough to "cleanse" itself.  I'm sure it will eat up great.

-Allen

Some of the Hagg holdovers have this really unnatural blue color.  It's like aqua-marine skin under the scales.  It didn't show up well in most of the photos but you can kinda see it in the one where half has been filleted.  It must have been one of last year's brood planters.

...would be awesome in the smoker.

I've got half in the brine already   

I looked at the Hagg stocking schedules on the odfw site to try to get an idea of how many of these monsters they put in Hagg to determine if I should head out for a big one too.  For the last 4+ years they only planted "legals" no "larger" or "trophy"  fish.  It sure looks like a brooder by the head and tail. Do they dump fish in and not tell us and if so when can I meet the truck at the ramp??

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/trout_stocking_schedules/2008/willamette/north_willamette.asp